David Bar-Ilan - Revision history

David: /* Terrorism, journalism and government spokesperson */

2014-09-08T15:04:52Z

Terrorism, journalism and government spokesperson

David at 08:57, 7 August 2014

2014-08-07T08:57:11Z

David at 08:50, 7 August 2014

2014-08-07T08:50:41Z

David: /* Early life */

2014-08-07T08:49:37Z

Early life

David: /* Terrorism, journalism and government spokesperson */

2014-08-07T08:48:06Z

Terrorism, journalism and government spokesperson

David: Created page with "David Bar-Illan (February 7 1930; died November 4 2003) was chief spokesman for the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (1996-99). He was also a co..."

2014-08-07T08:47:21Z

Created page with "David Bar-Illan (February 7 1930; died November 4 2003) was chief spokesman for the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (1996-99). He was also a co..."

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David Bar-Illan (February 7 1930; died November 4 2003) was chief spokesman for the Israeli government under Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] (1996-99). He was also a concert pianist, journalist, editor and critic<ref name="obit">Thomas J. Lueck [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/world/david-bar-illan-ex-israeli-aide-dies-at-73.html David Bar-Illan, Ex-Israeli Aide, Dies at 73] ‘’New York Times’’ November 5, 2003. Accessed 6 August 2014.</ref> In 1984 he was director of the [[Second International Conference on Terrorism]], run by the [[Jonathan Institute]] in Washington DC.

==Early life==
'Born to second-generation immigrants in Haifa', the Guardian reported that 'at 17 Bar-Ilan won a piano scholarship at the Juilliard School of Fine Arts in New York. In 1948, he interrupted his studies to fight in the Israeli war of independence, then graduated in 1950 and spent nearly four decades in the US.'<ref name="GuObit> Lawrence Joffe Obituaries : David Bar-Ilan: Gifted Israeli pianist whose rightwing views put him at Netanyahu's side, The Guardian - Final Edition, November 25, 2003: Pg. 27.</ref>

A ''New York Times'' obituary notes that Bar-Ilan was 'After graduating from the Juilliard School of Music in 1950, he was a soloist with orchestras in Europe, the United States, Latin America and elsewhere.'<ref name="obit"/>
==Terrorism, journalism and government spokesperson==

In the U.S., Bar-Ilan 'pursued a career in journalism, writing for publications in the U.S., Europe and Israel, including The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Saturday Review, ''[[Commentary]]'' and the London Daily Telegraph.'<ref name="JC"> ZOA Release Netanyahu spokesman Bar-Illan to key ZOA banquet Nov. 22 ''Jewish Chronicle'' (Pittsburgh), 8 October 1998: 10</ref>
During 1985-86, he hosted "International Dateline," a weekly public affairs program on U.S. cable networks. <ref name="JC"/>
In 1984 Bar-Ilan collaborated with [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] on the [[Second International Conference on Terrorism]] under the auspices of the [[Jonathan Institute]]. Bar-Ilan as the conference director, worked closely with the conference 'Chairman' [[Lord Chalfont]].

:By the 1980s, he had become a regular contributor to American newspapers, and was a vocal advocate for Soviet Jews. But he despaired of "living in an ivory tower" while Israelis were "struggling for the survival of a nation", and, in 1987, returned home with his wife Beverly. <ref name="GuObit/>

He then 'became publisher and editor of the Tel Aviv Hebrew weekly, La-Inyan and directed the Jonathan Institute'. <ref name="JC"/> AP reported at the time that 'Publisher Rupert Murdoch is the principal investor.'<ref> Report: Murdoch To Invest In New Right-Wing Israeli Newspaper, The Associated Press, June 22, 1988, Wednesday, AM cycle</ref>

Bar-Illan ‘was lead writer on the English-language ''Jerusalem Post'' from 1990, edited the paper from 1992 to 1996, and returned as an occasional columnist in 1999.'<ref name="GuObit/>

:Bar-Ilan's involvement with the Jerusalem Post consolidated the rightwing course set by [[Conrad Black]], who bought the previously liberal paper in 1989. Though he was proud of giving space to Jewish liberals - and to the occasional Palestinian journalist - even friends conceded the acerbic tone of Bar-Ilan's own pen. He described Israel's so-called new historians as "Stalinist, anti-western heirs of the Soviet encyclopedists".
:The Israeli left regarded him as a reactionary who substituted presentation for substance, squandered Yitzhak Rabin's peace legacy, hounded post-Zionist "ultra-liberals", and left his country isolated in the world. In contrast, rightwingers applauded him for prophesying Yasser Arafat's "true intentions", especially after the onset of the 2000 intifada. <ref name="GuObit/>

'He became widely known for his weekly column 'Eye on the Media,' in which he was a harsh critic of United States news outlets' coverage of Israel and the Middle East.’ <ref name="obit"/>
He went on to serve as Netanyahu's chief spokesman (1996-99), and 'in that role emerged as a tough and sometimes acerbic advocate of Israeli policies.'<ref name="obit"/>
Described as the 'ideological purist in the inner circle around Mr Netanyahu' in 1996, by the Independent, Bar-Ilan, was said to have 'extreme right-wing views'.<ref> Patrick Cockburn A very strange bird indeed; Other Israeli leaders had shied away from opening the tunnel in Jerusalem for fear of igniting a powder keg. Benjamin Netanyahu did it, without even warning his own ministers. What sort of man is he? The ''Independent'' October 1, 1996: 14.</ref>

In 2001 Bar-Ilan joined other conservatives (including [[Ehud Olmert]], [[Natan Sharansky]] , [[Dore Gold]], the United Nations ambassador under Mr. Netanyahu; [[Tom Rose]], publisher of The ''Jerusalem Post''; and [[Jackie Mason]], the American comedian) as a founder of [[One Jerusalem]].<ref>Deborah Sontag Huge Rally in Jerusalem Protests U.S. Proposal to Divide Sovereignty ''The New York Times'' January 9, 2001 Tuesday Late Edition - Final Section A; Column 1; Foreign Desk; Pg. 6.</ref>

==Career==
* The [[Jerusalem Post]], executive editor from 1992 to 1996. <ref name="obit"/>
==Legacy==
Bar-Ilan is taken as inspiration by a number of conservative and pro-settler interests. For example the Annual David Bar-Ilan Media Conference is hosted by [[Ariel University Center]] an institution actually built on occupied land in the West Bank.<ref>[[Yisrael Medad]] and [[Eli Pollak]] 'Ariel - the media misses out again', ''Jerusalem Post''. July 26, 2012: Pg. 16.</ref>

In the US [[CAMERA]] in 2012, the conservative pro-Israel media monitoring group announced two awards 'in memory of the late David Bar-Ilan, recognizing outstanding student leadership and activism on behalf of Israel on campuses.'<ref>Jerusalem Post staff CAMERA to debut Bar-Ilan student award, ''Jerusalem Post'' February 26, 2012 Sunday: 10</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 :By the 1980s, he had become a regular contributor to American newspapers, and was a vocal advocate for Soviet Jews. But he despaired of "living in an ivory tower" while Israelis were "struggling for the survival of a nation", and, in 1987, returned home with his wife Beverly. <ref name="GuObit"/>
-He then 'became publisher and editor of the Tel Aviv Hebrew weekly, La-Inyan and directed the Jonathan Institute'. <ref name="JC"/> AP reported at the time that 'Publisher Rupert Murdoch is the principal investor.'<ref> Report: Murdoch To Invest In New Right-Wing Israeli Newspaper, The Associated Press, June 22, 1988, Wednesday, AM cycle</ref>
+He then 'became publisher and editor of the Tel Aviv Hebrew weekly, La-Inyan and directed the Jonathan Institute'. <ref name="JC"/> AP reported at the time that 'Publisher [[Rupert Murdoch]] is the principal investor' in the paper.<ref> Report: Murdoch To Invest In New Right-Wing Israeli Newspaper, The Associated Press, June 22, 1988, Wednesday, AM cycle</ref>
 Bar-Illan ‘was lead writer on the English-language ''Jerusalem Post'' from 1990, edited the paper from 1992 to 1996, and returned as an occasional columnist in 1999.'<ref name="GuObit"/>

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:57, 7 August 2014
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		+	[[File:David Bar-Ilan circa 1998.png\|right\|thumb\|300px\|[[David Bar-Ilan]] during the period that he was spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minster [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] - 1996-1999.]]
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	David Bar-Illan (born February 7 1930; died November 4 2003) was chief spokesman for the Israeli government under Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] (1996-99). He was also a concert pianist, journalist, editor and critic<ref name="obit">Thomas J. Lueck [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/world/david-bar-illan-ex-israeli-aide-dies-at-73.html David Bar-Illan, Ex-Israeli Aide, Dies at 73] ‘’New York Times’’ November 5, 2003. Accessed 6 August 2014.</ref> In 1984 he was director of the [[Second International Conference on Terrorism]], run by the [[Jonathan Institute]] in Washington DC.		David Bar-Illan (born February 7 1930; died November 4 2003) was chief spokesman for the Israeli government under Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] (1996-99). He was also a concert pianist, journalist, editor and critic<ref name="obit">Thomas J. Lueck [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/world/david-bar-illan-ex-israeli-aide-dies-at-73.html David Bar-Illan, Ex-Israeli Aide, Dies at 73] ‘’New York Times’’ November 5, 2003. Accessed 6 August 2014.</ref> In 1984 he was director of the [[Second International Conference on Terrorism]], run by the [[Jonathan Institute]] in Washington DC.

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:50, 7 August 2014
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−	David Bar-Illan (February 7 1930; died November 4 2003) was chief spokesman for the Israeli government under Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] (1996-99). He was also a concert pianist, journalist, editor and critic<ref name="obit">Thomas J. Lueck [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/world/david-bar-illan-ex-israeli-aide-dies-at-73.html David Bar-Illan, Ex-Israeli Aide, Dies at 73] ‘’New York Times’’ November 5, 2003. Accessed 6 August 2014.</ref> In 1984 he was director of the [[Second International Conference on Terrorism]], run by the [[Jonathan Institute]] in Washington DC.	+	David Bar-Illan (born February 7 1930; died November 4 2003) was chief spokesman for the Israeli government under Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] (1996-99). He was also a concert pianist, journalist, editor and critic<ref name="obit">Thomas J. Lueck [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/world/david-bar-illan-ex-israeli-aide-dies-at-73.html David Bar-Illan, Ex-Israeli Aide, Dies at 73] ‘’New York Times’’ November 5, 2003. Accessed 6 August 2014.</ref> In 1984 he was director of the [[Second International Conference on Terrorism]], run by the [[Jonathan Institute]] in Washington DC.

	==Early life==		==Early life==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Early life==
-'Born to second-generation immigrants in Haifa', the Guardian reported that  'at 17 Bar-Ilan won a piano scholarship at the Juilliard School of Fine Arts in New York. In 1948, he interrupted his studies to fight in the Israeli war of independence, then graduated in 1950 and spent nearly four decades in the US.'<ref name="GuObit> Lawrence Joffe Obituaries : David Bar-Ilan: Gifted Israeli pianist whose rightwing views put him at Netanyahu's side, The Guardian - Final Edition, November 25, 2003: Pg. 27.</ref>
+'Born to second-generation immigrants in Haifa', the Guardian reported that  'at 17 Bar-Ilan won a piano scholarship at the Juilliard School of Fine Arts in New York. In 1948, he interrupted his studies to fight in the Israeli war of independence, then graduated in 1950 and spent nearly four decades in the US.'<ref name="GuObit"> Lawrence Joffe Obituaries : David Bar-Ilan: Gifted Israeli pianist whose rightwing views put him at Netanyahu's side, The Guardian - Final Edition, November 25, 2003: Pg. 27.</ref>
 A ''New York Times'' obituary notes that Bar-Ilan was 'After graduating from the Juilliard School of Music in 1950, he was a soloist with orchestras in Europe, the United States, Latin America and elsewhere.'<ref name="obit"/>
 ==Terrorism, journalism and government spokesperson==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 In 1984 Bar-Ilan collaborated with [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] on the [[Second International Conference on Terrorism]] under the auspices of the [[Jonathan Institute]]. Bar-Ilan as the conference director, worked closely with the conference 'Chairman' [[Lord Chalfont]].
-:By the 1980s, he had become a regular contributor to American newspapers, and was a vocal advocate for Soviet Jews. But he despaired of "living in an ivory tower" while Israelis were "struggling for the survival of a nation", and, in 1987, returned home with his wife Beverly. <ref name="GuObit/>
+:By the 1980s, he had become a regular contributor to American newspapers, and was a vocal advocate for Soviet Jews. But he despaired of "living in an ivory tower" while Israelis were "struggling for the survival of a nation", and, in 1987, returned home with his wife Beverly. <ref name="GuObit"/>
 He then 'became publisher and editor of the Tel Aviv Hebrew weekly, La-Inyan and directed the Jonathan Institute'. <ref name="JC"/> AP reported at the time that 'Publisher Rupert Murdoch is the principal investor.'<ref> Report: Murdoch To Invest In New Right-Wing Israeli Newspaper, The Associated Press, June 22, 1988, Wednesday, AM cycle</ref>
-Bar-Illan ‘was lead writer on the English-language ''Jerusalem Post'' from 1990, edited the paper from 1992 to 1996, and returned as an occasional columnist in 1999.'<ref name="GuObit/>
+Bar-Illan ‘was lead writer on the English-language ''Jerusalem Post'' from 1990, edited the paper from 1992 to 1996, and returned as an occasional columnist in 1999.'<ref name="GuObit"/>
 :Bar-Ilan's involvement with the Jerusalem Post consolidated the rightwing course set by [[Conrad Black]], who bought the previously liberal paper in 1989. Though he was proud of giving space to Jewish liberals - and to the occasional Palestinian journalist - even friends conceded the acerbic tone of Bar-Ilan's own pen. He described Israel's so-called new historians as "Stalinist, anti-western heirs of the Soviet encyclopedists".
-:The Israeli left regarded him as a reactionary who substituted presentation for substance, squandered Yitzhak Rabin's peace legacy, hounded post-Zionist "ultra-liberals", and left his country isolated in the world. In contrast, rightwingers applauded him for prophesying Yasser Arafat's "true intentions", especially after the onset of the 2000 intifada. <ref name="GuObit/>
+:The Israeli left regarded him as a reactionary who substituted presentation for substance, squandered Yitzhak Rabin's peace legacy, hounded post-Zionist "ultra-liberals", and left his country isolated in the world. In contrast, rightwingers applauded him for prophesying Yasser Arafat's "true intentions", especially after the onset of the 2000 intifada. <ref name="GuObit"/>
 'He became widely known for his weekly column 'Eye on the Media,' in which he was a harsh critic of United States news outlets' coverage of Israel and the Middle East.’ <ref name="obit"/>